Top 12 Favorite Stories

Top 12 Favorite Stories of all time (Because I just couldn’t do 10)
Okay so no matter how hard I tried, I could not make this list consist of any less than 12 stories. I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t know which to cut out. That being said, the last few are not necessarily in order; since it was a tie between those and I couldn’t decide which ones I liked more.

This is nothing more than my opinion based on the books that I have read, and is not the result of a vote. Out of the hundreds of stories that I have read, these stories stood out above them all.

1.) The Books of History Chronicles – Ted Dekker
I’ve read a lot of stories; but none that can be compared to the 15 books that make up the Books of History Chronicles by Ted Dekker. These books primarily include “The Circle”, “The Paradise Novels” and “The Lost Books”; however, “Skin” and “House” are also included in the BoHC. Through the BoHC, Ted Dekker introduced me to a world I could have never dreamed of; but now can’t imagine my life without! He taught me the joy that comes from diving deep into Elyon’s lake—a joy that continues to this day as I imagine what is in the future after this life. Through story, Ted Dekker has given me opportunities to reflect on the true life that can only come with death. Ted Dekker took me to Other Earth. I could hear the laughter as Elyon played with His people and turned the world upside down; and I cried when a member of the Horde discovered the life that came from death. I stood strong and was ready to fight; but was also ready to bow down and lay down my sword when the time came. There has never been a story that has had such an impact on my life. That is why the BoHC are (and probably always will be) number 1 on my list; because my life has been forever changed by this story.

Elyon’s Strength. Never break the Circle.

2.) Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell
I remember when I first discovered this magnificent story. To say I was amazed would be an understatement. I sat there in awe as my imagination ran wild about the enchanting world; because to me, it was a world of its own. The discovery of this story sparked my own personal fantasy world that, to this day, still takes my breath away. I frequently dream of the big puffy dresses and the southern gentlemen; the grand staircases and beautiful plantations…the windows that were taller than me (yes I think about the windows too) sigh. I hate it when someone tells me they’ve either never seen or never watched the entire thing. They are missing the most beautiful (real) world imaginable. (Had to specify “real” because of Other Earth ^_^)

3.) Immanuel’s Veins – Ted Dekker
At the peak of the world’s interest in vampires, thanks to Twilight, Ted Dekker stepped forward with a story that would change lives. Immanuel’s Veins is the only Dekker novel that I put at the same level as the Circle. This is definitely not “just another vampire book”; despite what many believed when they first discovered that Ted’s new book would have vampire characters. Not much to say here. It’s just amazing. Go read it!


4.) Chronicles of Narnia – C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis is, without a doubt, a master story-teller. In the world of fantasy, Narnia most definitely battles with Other Earth (at least in my mind).

5.) Lord of the Rings – Tolkien
Although I’ve never actually read the LotR books, I chose this position for Lord of the Rings based on having read the Hobbit, what I’ve seen of the movies, and knowing the story very well. I love this story and I can’t wait to enter this world through the books when I finally get the chance to read them! Not to mention, if it weren’t for Tolkien, the only impression I would have of elves would be “Santa’s tiny helpers”; and naturally dwarves would only make me think of “Snow White”. Tolkien set a very strong foundation for the fantasy that would come after his story!

6.) Heaven’s Wager – Ted Dekker
This is another one of those stories that changed my life, by exposing the world that waits for me when I am given the gift of leaving this world and going to Heaven and the new earth to be with Elyon for eternity. I desperately want to read this story again.

7.) Redeeming Love – Francine Rivers
How far will Elyon go for a single soul? A modern day interpretation of the story of Hosea, “Redeeming Love” answers that exact question in the form of a story that can not be forgotten. My heart broke as I was reminded of the love that He has for us. This story is sure to overwhelm you with His presence and love.

8.) Safely Home – Randy Alcorn
“Safely Home” had me crying throughout the entire story. Randy Alcorn exposes the truth of the persecuted church in China (as well as the rest of the world) in this beautiful and heartbreaking story that will leave you wanting to do nothing more than worship our Savior.

9.) A Lasting Impression – Tamera Alexander
I’ve already explained how mesmerized I am with the Old South. There’s no stopping me as I enter into this world through a new story. Tamera Alexander captured the time period perfectly! She definitely did her research! Her incredible detail and writing style took me to the Old South again for the first time since “Gone With the Wind”!

10.) Pirates of the Carribean
Most people are aware that I am not one to watch TV; and I rarely watch movies; but Pirates of the Carribean is one of only a few exceptions. I was very upset when I heard they would be ending the series after the third movie; but I knew that was impossible since this is a much loved story to many people. Sure enough, they released a fourth movie ☺

11.) LOST
As you can probably already see, there are only two stories on this list that are not books; but I felt that LOST definitely deserved a spot on the list since this story still amazes me (as well as anyone else who has seen it).

12.) Harry Potter – J.K. Rowling
Some people may say that Harry Potter doesn’t belong on a “Top 10 Best Stories of All Time” list; however I must disagree. J.K. Rowling created a world that we will probably never forget; and while there are many stand-alone books that I liked more than a few of the HP books, a series usually has more of an effect on me. This is one series that has left a legacy.

Intervention - Terri Blackstock

Four years ago, cancer took the life of John Covington and shattered the lives of his wife, daughter, and son. Barbara Covington has been left to pick up the pieces and help her son and daughter to move on with life; but that has proven to be difficult, since three years later, her daughter Emily began a downhill spiral with drug abuse. One thing led to another, and after a year of substance abuse, Emily was in the worst state she could possibly be in. Barbara only saw two options: either let her daughter end up dead or in jail, or exhaust her last chance to get Emily in rehab, where she could start over. Barbara arranges for an interventionist to come and convince Emily to go to rehab, and then fly her across the country to the rehab center; but when the interventionist is found dead on the flight back to the rehab center and Emily is nowhere to be found, a nightmare that Barbara could have never imagined has begun. It is soon apparent that she and her son may be the only ones who believe that Emily is not a killer; and Barbara is in a race to find her daughter, who may be experiencing a nightmare of her own.
“Intervention” is a page-turning thriller that will not disappoint! In the course of 24 hours, I searched for every single detail, praying that Emily Covington was innocent of the murder that she was accused of. Through the heartbreaking first half and the fast-paced search for a killer that took place in the second half of the novel, I was unable to pull myself out of the story. Next thing I knew, it was less than 24 hours later; and despite the fact that I have midterms starting tomorrow, I had read the entire novel. I now understand why Terri Blackstock calls her books “Up All Night” fiction; since I haven’t read a book that quickly since I started grad school.
The characters start to feel like your own family as you ride through their nightmare with them. Terri Blackstock is excellent at character development! Every moment with Barbara broke my heart—from reading through Emily’s journals to her insistence that her daughter was innocent. Lance may have been young and innocent (which was a great addition to the story), but his persistence and humor throughout the story gave me times when I actually found myself laughing just as tears had started to fall down my face. I enjoyed reading about Kent, especially as he wrestled with his own questions about God; however, I look forward to seeing him more in the next novel, since I’m sure he will be much more personally involved in the story than he was in “Intervention”.
As Emily is broken into more and smaller pieces, Terri Blackstock doesn’t fail to remind the reader of the brokenness that comes before one truly finds salvation; and I cried with Emily when she reached “bottom” as it is constantly referred to throughout the novel. Reading this story broke me again for that moment in my life when I finally realized that I was not my own. It hurts; it’s ugly; it’s dirty; and as you cry out to the only One who can save you, all of a sudden, you don’t feel alone anymore. The reader experiences this with Emily Covington through her journey in the novel “Intervention”. When the novel opens, the reader believes that she couldn’t be in any worse of a state of mind; but of course, God is not done with her yet; and a whole other journey still awaits her.
This novel is the first of a series of novels called the “Intervention” series. The second novel, “Vicious Cycle”, was published earlier this year; and I will be reading it as soon as I have it in my hands from the publisher! The third book, “Downfall” is scheduled to be released in February of 2012. From the first book, I already know this is an excellent series for any thriller reader, parent, or teenager! I anxiously await the next novel!

*This book was provided by Zondervan in exchange for my honest review*

A Lasting Impression - Tamera Alexander

In the past 6 months, Claire Laurent has lost her mother, her father, her home, and the only work she has ever known—the work of a forger. A talented artist, Claire has been forced to forge famous paintings for years; but now that her father is dead, she must start over, and make a new life for herself. Forced to flee New Orleans out of fear that the men who killed her father would be looking for her, Claire settles in Nashville, with no idea what she will do to survive; but within a day, Claire manages to land a prestigious interview with the richest woman in Tennessee, at the Belmont Mansion.
Setting her novel in the late 1860’s, as the South continues to recover from its devastating defeat, Tamera Alexander truly captures the enchanting time period. As someone who is fascinated with the beauty of the Old South and reconstruction period and has frequently dreamed of a world of big puffy dresses, southern gentlemen, old southern mansions, grand staircases, and windows taller than me, I was captivated by “A Lasting Impression”. I have not read a story set during this time period that has caught my attention this much since “Gone With the Wind”, which happens to be my favorite story of all time.
The detail and imagery in “A Lasting Impression” is exceptional—from the descriptions of the various art to the perfect details of old southern culture! Tamera Alexander has a beautiful writing style that flows and makes you feel as if you have actually landed in the most beautiful time period that ever existed! I have never read a book with such detail! I love escapism; and as an avid reader of fantasy, thrillers, and other various fiction, I find that escape as I frantically search for every clue to solve a murder, dive deep into Elyon’s lake, take the train to Hogwarts, or get inside the head of a deranged serial killer. The escape that I found in “A Lasting Impression” was very unique as I landed in a time-period that I’ve always dreamed of. Tamera Alexander sent me there.
The characters could not have been better! I connected with Claire, who could be sweet and quiet at times but really came out of her shell as the story progressed, becoming lively and spirited as she slowly began to believe more in herself. I found myself laughing out loud and smiling at Sutton’s southern gentleman qualities; and Adelicia was intriguing and I never knew what to expect next from her!
This is the first book that I’ve ever read by Tamera Alexander and I’m already anticipating reading it again very soon, along with as many other books I can get of hers! Her engaging writing style and captivating imagery and detail, complementing a beautiful story written from a Christian perspective is refreshing and beautiful and has definitely made me a huge fan! As a matter of fact, I dare to say that “A Lasting Impression” has made it onto my top 5 favorite stories of all time! I hope there will be many other Belmont Mansion novels!

*This book was provided by Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review*

One Step Away - Eric Wilson

Brett and Sara have lived a life of counting pennies to get through each day; wondering when the Lord would see fit to provide a raise to the people who remained faithful to Him.  They believed that the Lord would provide abundance to those who were faithful in their lives and giving; and they had given more than what hurt; but they still struggled through each day.  Little did they know, Satan was planning their destruction with a large sum of money.  When a patient who Sara had been helping for years dies, he leaves his entire 6 million dollar fortune to her.  Will Brett and Sara remain true to the Lord with everything at their fingertips?  Will what they believe to be the ultimate provision actually be their destruction?

            The Bible says several times, in different ways, that money is the root of all evil.  It can lead to a person’s eternal destruction.  One Step Away is encouraging for Christians everywhere who have wondered why God has not provided for them in the way that they have wished.  I was able to relate to the Vreeland family to the point where it actually hurt me every time someone said they were not faithful enough; because if they were, God would have given them an abundance.  The Word says that those who are faithful with a little will be put in charge of a lot; but some of the most faithful Christians are struggling.  There are Christians who have lost everything and are being persecuted in other countries.  There are starving families who remain faithful even when they don’t get to eat for days.  The story was a reminder that Elyon has a reason for everything.  We can never understand His reasons; but He always provides what He sees fit to provide at the time.  He is faithful and He knows what He is doing; but those of us who struggle are often considered to be less of Christians than those who are not struggling.  This couldn’t be less true.   

            It was great to read a story about a normal every day family who was trying to live a life worthy of the gospel they carry.  There was nothing fake about these characters.  They are real to the reader.  It was also a reminder of Satan’s activity in the world.  We are being constantly tested to prove our faith.  Will we be able to pass the test?

            “One Step Away” did not disappoint!  If you are looking for a book that will challenge your faith and encourage you to build your armor against the enemy, this book is for you.  If you are looking for an amazing page-turner, this book is for you.  If you want a book that will keep you anxious to know what happens next, you have to read this book!  I’ve never read a book by Eric Wilson before; but I am sure to read more in the future!  I can’t wait to read his next book “Two Seconds Late”.   Both “One Step Away” and “Two Seconds Late” are part of his “By the Numbers” series.  In the “By the Numbers” series, Eric Wilson is writing modern-day stories that relate to old Biblical stories.  In “One Step Away”, Eric explored the story of Job.  In “Two Seconds Late”, he will explore Esther.  I am very excited about the next book!  I hope to see many more fans of Eric Wilson soon!

*I received a copy of "One Step Away" from Bay Forest Books in exchange for my honest review*

"The Sparrow's Cry"

Hey everyone!
I'm currently 11,000 words into my current novel, "The Sparrow's Cry".  I'm taking advantage of NaNoWriMo and taking the incentive to write...a lot! I've written 11,000 words in less than 4 days!  It's a blast and I wouldn't trade it for anything right now!  Be on the look out for more reviews in a few weeks since I'm dedicating a good portion of my time to my writing.  I have several books that I've committed to review in the next couple months! 

For those of you who are interested, here's a brief (and very rough) summary of "The Sparrow's Cry"!  I'm not very good at summaries because I have to try so hard not to give anything away so please forgive me for my lack of a great and catchy summary!  I'll keep you updated as the novel progresses!

3 years ago, Joleigh woke up in the middle of an abandoned road after having been held hostage with her sister by a cult for 7 years. She was troubled by the broken memories and the fact that she knew they still had her sister; and she swore to find them and her sister; but she had so many holes in her memory because of a very heinous and gruesome 7 years, that she didn't know where to start.
3 years later, Joleigh wakes up to her house on fire and barely escapes with her mother. She wakes up in the hospital to find out that her Mom is in a coma and they don't expect her to come out of it. Broken-hearted after losing the only person she had left, Joleigh is determined to find and kill the men who have her sister (who she also believes to have started the fire). During her mission, Joleigh meets an older Christian woman, who also has a painful past, and the younger man who works for her and finds that maybe she can begin to trust again. She and the man are attracted to each other and he pursues her but she struggles to open up; but will the traumas of her past come back to destroy everything just when she begins to open up? Will Joleigh ever be the same after killing even the most evil of people? In the meantime, Joleigh's horrible nightmares change to dreams of a supernatural battle. Are her dreams pointing her in the right direction? Will they be enough to reveal her sister? Or will they just bring back everything that her mind was determined to hide?

The Baker's Wife - Erin Healy

            Only a few months ago, Geoff was a Pastor and his wife was the ideal pastor’s wife with a very unique and special gift that has connected her to many people; but then, when the church is stirred to fury by a rumor spread by an elder, Geoff is banned from the church and from ever seeking a position as a pastor in another church.  Now Geoff, Audrey, and their son Ed have to start over.  Turning to their love of baking, they open a bakery; but only a few months later, while they are still in pain and trying to heal from the horrible lie that destroyed everything they once had, Audrey and Ed are in an accident.  Trying to drive in the fog that never seems to break during this time of year, Audrey hits something that she discovers to be the scooter that belongs to the wife of the church elder who destroyed her husband’s career.  What makes everything worse is that there is blood everywhere—and the blood is confirmed to belong to his wife…but where is Jack’s wife?  She has disappeared and Jack, the church elder, is determined that Audrey has everything to do with her disappearance.  In desperation, Jack takes Geoff, Ed, and 3 others as his hostages in the bakery—with the promise that he will start killing if Audrey does not tell the truth and bring his wife back to him.  Will Audrey be able to use the unique gift that she doesn’t always appreciate to find Jack’s wife before he destroys everything she has left?

            “The Baker’s Wife” is a beautiful story with characters that find a place in the heart of each reader.  In a country where 95% of the population claim to be Christian, but only about 1/3 of those people actually live the life of a follower of Christ, it is refreshing to read about a family that shows Christ in every aspect of their lives—even though they are fictional characters.  Audrey is the perfect example of a godly woman and an image for women to aspire to match in their daily lives.  All Christians like to say they trust God with everything, but very few trust God like Geoff, who lives in full submission and humility, aware of his inability to understand the ways of God and fix matters that only God can repair.  Ed is the typical teenager who tries to follow Christ but still makes typical teenage mistakes—except that he has faith that can move mountains and he lives a life of repentance.  How many teenagers do we see who live that kind of lifestyle?  These beautiful god-fearing characters are not the only characters that the reader will not soon forget, however, since the reader is also introduced to characters who are seriously disturbed.  I really enjoyed analyzing Jack, who is the first person to quote scripture in every other sentence, but creeps the reader out when he quotes scripture since his theology is very off, he lacks a true understanding of the words that he speaks, and he takes drastic ungodly measures to bring about what he sees as justice.  As a strong law-enforcement officer who emphasizes works, Jack is a great demonstration of the danger of legalism; but at the same time, his character reminds the reader of the beauty of grace!

            While “The Baker’s Wife” was very predictable and didn’t present a lot of surprises, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more by Erin Healy in the future!  It was a beautiful and page-turning story that I couldn’t put down!  I ended up reading the majority of the book in 1 day because once I got about a third of the way through, I couldn’t put it down and just kept reading until I was finished!  I found that the majority of my interest was captured by the characters who were so fascinating!  As a psychology grad student, I was thoroughly entertained with the task of analyzing every single one of them (haha!). This is a story that I will not soon forget! 4 stars!

*Thomas Nelson publishing provided an advanced copy of "The Baker's Wife" in exchange for my honest review*

"Waking Hours" - Lis Wiehl

            Tommy and Dani are re-united after nearly 12 years apart after their graduation from High School—where Dani was able to resist Tommy’s charms and the connection she felt at the homecoming dance.  Now, 12 years later, they partner to help solve a gruesome and tragic crime—the shocking and gory murder of a local high school girl.  The only suspects are other teenagers who were at a party with the girl; however, none of them claim to have known her well and none of them can remember what happened that night.  It becomes apparent to Dani and Tommy that there is more to this case than meets the eye and that supernatural and spiritual connections can no longer be considered impossible.  One thing they do know is that it would take a very disturbed and evil person to do what was done to Julie Leonard.  Is it possible that the killer isn’t even human?  The case forces Dani and Tommy to evaluate everything they believe in and face the possibility that the murder that they are trying to solve may have a demonic connection to the unseen.

            As I began reading “Waking Hours”, I felt like the story that Lis Wiehl was most likely going for was very interesting; however, it didn’t take me long to realize that she may have not been able to accomplish all of her ideas for this story.  While the concept of demonic activity in relations to a murder was interesting, and her portrayal of the unseen was extremely creepy and, at many points, definitely scared me to the point to where I nearly stopped reading and strongly considered writing a review stating that I was incapable of finishing the book, it seemed as if, overall, nothing ever really happened throughout the story.  The plot was weak and the ending was borderline intense and was over in an instant.  I expected that with a story about demonic influences on a human, that the ending would be almost too much for me to handle; but as soon as the “intense” ending started, it was over within 2 pages.  I think the story had a lot of potential if written by the right author; however, I think it may have been a little much for Lis Wiehl. 

            I did love the characters of Dani and Tommy.  As a matter of fact, it was their characters that kept me reading and gave me the will to finish the book even though it creeped me out.  Tommy is every girl’s dream and I found that with every page, I wished more and more that he was real haha.  The growing relationship between Dani and Tommy is very sweet but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who likes a good love story because that is just on the side.  Someone who favors love stories would be more likely to not be able to handle the creepiness and the demonic aspects of the story.

            Also, as a psychology student who has strongly considered forensic psychology several times throughout my education, I really enjoyed Dani’s character as a forensic psychologist.  If you like crime-solving stories and tv-shows that only focus on the solving of a crime but don’t really go anywhere, then this is your kind of book.  The crime-solving aspect was very interesting and it kept me wanting to know what happened next enough to keep me motivated to read; however, if you are looking for a well-developed plot, you won’t find it in “Waking Hours”. 

            Overall, I’d say I’d give the book 3 stars.  I give it that because I did LOVE the characters of Dani and Tommy and I enjoyed the crime-solving—since I enjoy a couple of more comical crime-solving stories and tv-shows such as “The Mentalist” and “Psych”; and I could see myself as possibly reading the rest of the series for the characters and crime-solving; however, mainly it’s because I try not to start a series and not finish it; so it’s possible that you may see reviews for the rest of the series as they are released.  Also, the last page (I can’t provide information without a spoiler), only added more to the possibilities of the story line.  Can Lis Wiehl salvage this story and do everything that she has most likely imagined for the story?

There are many authors much higher on my “to-read” list for now; so if I ever do pick up another book for this series by Lis Wiehl, hopefully she will have found a way to strengthen the plot. 

*Thomas Nelson Publishing provided an advanced copy of "Waking Hours" in exchange for my honest review*